Bayern Deny Involvement In European Super League Talks

16-Team League Could Be Up And Running By 2021

Bayern Munich have dismissed reports that they are leading talks over a breakaway European Super League.

The website Football Leaks has passed to German magazine Der Spiegel what it claims are documents proposing a 16-team league commencing in 2021.

Eleven of the founder clubs would be guaranteed immunity from relegation for a period of 20 years from the start of the league. Five of those eleven are from the Premier League: Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.

But in a statement released on Friday night, Bayern denied the Bundesliga side have been involved in any talks.

“In its current issue no. 45 dated 3 November 2018, ‘Der Spiegel’ magazine claims that Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, as chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), had betrayed all medium-sized and smaller member clubs belonging to the ECA,” the statement said.

” ‘I absolutely and clearly reject this,’ Rummenigge declared. ‘The vote in favour of the reform agreed between UEFA and the ECA was unanimous.’ Neither he nor FC Bayern Munich have ever acted to the detriment of the ECA, Rummenigge stated.

“FC Bayern is also unaware of recent plans for a so-called Super League, also reported by ‘Der Spiegel’, nor has FC Bayern taken part in negotiations relating to such plans. FC Bayern is also unaware of why it is listed in a document quoted in this context by ‘Der Spiegel’.

“Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: ‘FC Bayern Munich stands by its membership of the Bundesliga and, as long as I am chairman of the board of FC Bayern, also by the club competitions organised jointly by UEFA and the ECA’.”

If the league goes ahead it will mean the end of the Champions League.

As well as the five Premier League clubs, the eleven founders include Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. The initial campaign would also include Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Marseille, Inter Milan and Roma as ‘guests’ who would not be immune from relegation.